David Sulzer

David Sulzer
David Sulzer with Jojo of the Thai Elephant Orchestra
Born (1956-11-06) November 6, 1956 (age 67)
NationalityAmerican
Other namesDave Soldier
Education
Alma mater
Known forneurotransmission, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, drug dependence, schizophrenia
AwardsNARSAD, McKnight Foundation, NIH
Scientific career
FieldsNeuroscience
InstitutionsColumbia University
Doctoral advisorEric Holtzman
Musical career
OriginCarbondale, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instruments
Years active1988–present
Labels
Website

David Sulzer (born November 6, 1956) is an American neuroscientist and musician.[1] He is a professor at Columbia University Medical Center in the departments of psychiatry, neurology, and pharmacology. Sulzer's laboratory investigates the interaction between the synapses of the cerebral cortex and the basal ganglia, including the dopamine system, in habit formation, planning, decision making, and diseases of the system. His lab has developed the first means to optically measure neurotransmission, and has introduced new hypotheses of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease, and changes in synapses that produce autism [2] and habit learning.[3]

Under the stage name Dave Soldier, he is known as a composer and musician in a variety of genres including avant-garde, classical, and jazz:[4] the intersection between these careers was detailed in a 2023 New Yorker profile.[5]

  1. ^ "The Wild World of Music". The New Yorker. 2023-03-27. Archived from the original on 2023-07-14.
  2. ^ "Study Finds That Brains With Autism Fail to Trim Synapses as They Develop". The New York Times.
  3. ^ "David Sulzer, PhD". Parkinson's Researcher Profile. Michael J. Fox Foundation. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  4. ^ "David Sulzer, Ph.D." Columbia Neuroscience. Columbia CNI. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  5. ^ Bilger, Burkhard (27 March 2023). "The Wild World of Music". The New Yorker.